Ep 138: The Importance of Gratitude In Veterinary Medicine, with Dr. Katie Ford

For this week's episode of That Vet Life Show, Dr. Katie Ford joins Dr. Moriah. Dr. Katie is a veterinary surgeon, mentor, and speaker. She completed her graduation in Veterinary Medicine with a distinction from the University of Liverpool in 2012. Katie continued working in small animal first opinion practices following graduation, and in 2016 she earned her RCVS Certificate in Internal Medicine.After learning the importance of preventative mindset techniques, she sought coaching training to equip herself with mentorship skills. She now shares different mindset techniques with other professionals across the country so they can succeed in the veterinary industry. Apart from being an excellent mentor, she is also a brilliant speaker and regularly talks about gratitude and self-worth. She is a gratitude and empathy enthusiast and helped many individuals to overcome self-doubt and Imposter syndrome. Furthermore, she is also an influencer, regularly spreading her positive message via social media platforms and speaking events.In this episode, Dr. Katie and Dr. Mo talk about the value of gratitude in the veterinary field and how it significantly lowers stress levels. They share their experience of identifying and actively engaging gratitude in their daily life. Listen in as Dr. Mo and Katie Ford shares their strategy to reduce stress by showing a little appreciation for life.Outline of this episode:[01:06] The episode begins with Dr. Moriah expressing a warm welcome to Dr. Katie. [01:42] Dr. Katie Ford talks about her experiences as a vet, emphasizing how she overcame the challenges like self-doubt and imposter syndrome using the strategy of “gratitude”[06:15] Dr. Katie talks about her ideas on "gratitude" and how it inspired her to be appreciative of even the most fundamental things in life.[07:55] How to be grateful.[09:55] Why does gratitude signify more in veterinary practice than in other fields of work? Dr. Katie discusses clinical studies that showed how expressing gratitude could drastically lower stress levels in medical professionals.[12:55] Mo and Dr. Katie talk about the various aspects of gratitude and their significance in the veterinary field.[14:47] A short ad break - join Thrive[15:56] Drs. Katie and Mo continue the episode by talking about how a child is the biggest inspiration for being grateful for all of life's little joys and how gratitude evolves as you move forward in life.[20:10] Dr. Katie offers advice on how to master the practice of gratitude, especially when it comes to expressing it to others.[26:00] - What are the tools and techniques vet students can use to start integrating and training their brains for gratitude.[31:03] - Dr. Moriah wraps the episode To listen to the extended version of this episode, join our Thrive community for free.